Plug-connector.



W. R. GREENWAY.

PLUG CONNECTOR.

APPLIoATIoN FILED MAY 5, 1911.

1,034,910. Patented Aug. 6,1912.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

W. R. GREENWAY. PLUG CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5,1911.

1,034,910, Patented Aug. 6,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oEFIoE R..GREENWAY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YQIRK,ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF T0 HARRY A. CURRIE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PLUG-CONNECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led May 5, 1911.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

Serial No. 625,317.

To atl whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. GREEN- wAY., a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plug-Connectors, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates tol electrical coupling devices, and moreparticularly to a plug connector having'one or more contacts.

It has for its object aplug connector in which the inclosingy casing orshell is readily separable andthe insulating blocks held by the samereadily removable; to so secure these blocks to their respective shellsthat no screws or the like pass through the same into the inclosingcasing; and to provide means to positively determine the polarity of thecontacts where a plurality of con-- tacts are made by means of theconnector.

A further object of the invention is to relieve the conductors,connected to the blocks, of strain in withdrawing the plug.

The nature of the invention will be best understood when described inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig'ure 1 is a planof the connector. Fig. 2 is a plan of the connector with the uppershells removed. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2. Fig.4 is an elevation, and Fig. 5 a plan illustrating a modification in theconnector. Fig. 6 is an end view of the cover employed in connectionwith the modification illustrated in Figs. l and 5.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding ypartsthroughout the several views. y

Referring now to the drawings, 10 and 11 designate respectively upperand lower shells forming the inclosing casing of the plug member of theconnector; and 12 and 13 respectively the upper and lower shells,similarly forming the inclo-sing casing for the ,socket member of theconnector. The shells are adapted to be secured to each other inanywell-known manner, for example by means of screws, as shown. heldbetween the said shells 12 and 13, is a block of insulating material 14provided on each side with a vertical groove 15 adapted to fitcorresponding lugs 16 extending inwardly from the sides of the shells. Ablock 17 K of insulation is similarly held be- VVithin, and' tween theshells 10 and 11 through vertical grooves 18 and lugs 19, the saidblock, however, extending beyond the end of the said shells. The partthus extending is adapted to lit a socket 20 at the end of the shells 12and 13. blocks of insulation andl the corresponding lugs extendinginwardly from the shells, the said blocks are located and held againstmovement in their own plane, but may be readily removed by lifting thesame. No other means to secure the blocks are required; and if, it bedesired to tix the socket member as a whole, this may be readilyeffected by providing one of its shells, for example the shell 12, withsuitable bosses 23 through which screws or bolts may pass. The innerends of the shells forming the corresponding casingsof the plug andsocket member are provided' with abutting flanges 21 and 22 to determinethe extent of the insertion of the plug block 17 into the socket 20.

As shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 a suitable spring pressed latch in the formof a cover may be pivoted to the shell 12 and engage a lug 25 on theshell 10 to prevent accidental separation of the members whereconsiderable vibration is present. When the plug member is withdrawnfrom the socket 20, the cover 24 under the action of its spring 26 willdrop down to close the said socket 20 and insure against accidentalcontact with the live terminals therein. The socket member may,furthermore, be connected to a support 27 in such a manner as to becapable of turning. This is accomplished' by means of the bolt 28 whosehead`29 is locked in a boss `30 of the shell 12, said bolt passingthrough a bracket 30 secured to the support 27.

The plug may be provided` with one or more contacts to which suitablecables 31 and' 32 are brought through the outer or neck portion 33 and'34' of the plug and socket member. These neck portions are provided withflaring outlets 35 and 36 respectively to reduce wear on cables, and areof an enlarged 'diameter fora portion of their length to rovide cavitiesf5? and 38 respectively. A out the portions et the cables passingthrough these cavlt' able flexible materiai 39, sur-h as ins! tape, iswound about the said cab extent sufiicient to till' the whereupon when astrain is pnt on tr.. ,i

By means ofthe grooves in the` as in withdrawing a member, the same willbe taken up to a largev extent by the said fiexible material and not becommunicated to the terminal connections. These connections may be madeby sweating the ends of the cable into suitable sleeves 40 adapted tofit within hollow terminal pieces 42 mounted within the insulatingblocks 14 and 17, and are positively secured thereto by means of setscrews 41 passing through a portion of the insulating material and intothe hollow meta-l terminals 42. From the outer end ot block 14 extendsplit contact plugs 43, and within the block 17 are provided suitablereceptacles 44 to receive the said plugs. To insure the polarity of theconnection, the block 17 is provided with a suitable groove 45 in itsupper surface, said groove being adapted to it a lug 46 extendingdownwardly from the shell 12 of the socket member.

I claim 1. An electrical connector comprising: a socket member and aplug member, each member consisting of two separable shells or casings,and means to secure the two casings of each member to each other;removable insulating blocks held between the respective setsof shells,and locking mean's to hold the same against movement in the plane of theblocks, but permitting freedom of movement in a different direction, theinsulating block of one of 'said members being provided with a suitablereceptacle or. receptacles, and conductors connected thereto; a contactplug or plugs, and conductors connected thereto, the said plug or plugsbeing carried by the insulating block of the other of said members and'yadapted to lit the said receptacle or receptacles to establishelectrical connection therewith.

2. An electrical connector comprising: a socket member and a. plugmember, each member consisting of two separable shells or casings, andmeans to secure the two casings of each member to each other; removableinsulating blocks held between the respective sets of shells, andlocking means to hold the same against movement in the plane of theblocks, but permitting freedom of movement in a different direction, the(insulating block of one of said members being provided with suitablereceptacles, conductors connected thereto; contact plugs, and conductorsconnected thereto, said plugs being carried by the insulating block ofthe other of said members and adapted to fit the said receptacles toestablish electrical connection therewith; and means to positivelydetermine the polarity of said connection.

3. An electrical connector comprising: a socket member and a plu-gmember, each member consisting of two separable shells or casings, andmeans to secure the two casings of each member to each other; lugsextending inwardly from the sides of said shells; removable insulatingblocks held between the respective sets of shells and prov vided withvertical grooves in their sides fitting the lugs of the correspondingshells, the insulating block of one of said members being furtherprovided with suitable receptacles, and conductors connected thereto;contact plugs, and conductors connected thereto, said plugs beingcarried by the insulating block of the other of said members and adaptedto fit the said receptacles to establish electrical connectiontherewith.

4. An electrical connector comprising: a socket member and a plugmember, each member consisting of two separable shells or casings, andmeans to secure the two casings of each member to each other; removableinsulating blocks held between the respective sets of shells, and meansto hold the same against movement in the plane of the blocks, theinsulating block of one of said members being provided with suitablereceptacles, and conductors connected thereto; contact plugs, andconductors connected thereto, said plugs being carried by the insulatingblock of the other of said members and adapted to fit the saidreceptacles to establish electrical connection therewith, the surface ofone of said blocks being provided with a groove; and a lug upon theinner surface of the inclosing shell of the other block adapted to fitsaid groove to positively determine the polarity of the connectionbetween said plugs and receptacles.

5. An electrical connector comprising: a socket member and a plugmember, each member consisting of two separable shells or casings, andmeans to secure the two casings of each member to each other; lugsextending inwardly from the sides of said shells; removable insulatingblocks held between the respective sets of shells and provided withvertical groovesin their sides Iitting the lugs of the correspondingshells, the insulating blocks of one of said members being furtherprovided with suitable receptacles, and conductors connected thereto;Contact plugs, and conductors connected thereto, said plugs beingcarried by the insulating block ofthe other of said members and adaptedto tit the said receptacles to establish electrical connectiontherewith, the surface of one of said blocks being provided with agroove; and a lug upon the inner surface of the inclosing shell of theother block adapted to t said groove to positively determine thepolarity of the connection between said plugs and receptacles.

6. An electrical connector comprising: a socket member and a plugmember, each member consisting of two separable shells or casings, andmeans to secure the two casings of each member to each other; abuttingflanges at the inner ends of said shells; a neck ortion at the outer endof each member, en arged for a portion of its length.and at its endflared outwardly; removable insulating blocks held between therespective sets of shells, and locking means to hold the same againstmovement 1n the plane ofthe blocks, but permitting freedom of movementin a different direction, the insulating block of one of said membersbeing provided with suitable receptacles, and conductors connectedthereto; contact plugs, and conductors connected thereto, said plu sbeing carried by the insulating block of t e other of said members andadapted to fit the said receptacles to establish electrical connectiontherewith. Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State ofNew York this 20th day of April, A. D. 1911.

WILLIAM R. GREENWAY. Witnesses:

JEANNETTE S'roRK, FREDK. F. SCHUETZ.

